Mold plug



March 11,1941. E. L. RAMSEY Er AL MOLD PLUG Filed Jan. 13, 1940 iNVENTORS E. L. RAMSEY 1 L..G.GRAPER MOLD PLUG Edwin L. Ramsey and Leslie G. Graper,

- Chicago, Ill.

- Application January 13, 1940, Serial No. 313,762

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a mold plug. More specifically, it relates to a plug for-an ingot mold which is removable with the ingot.

An ingot mold normally has a plug of refracfi tory material in an opening at its base relatively small in cross section compared to the mold upon which is poured the first portion of the molten metal. These plugs are normally removed from the mold by a separate manual ill operation after removal of the ingots.

An object of the present invention isto provide an improved mold plug. A further object is the provision of a plug for an ingot mold provided with a portion engageable with the it solidified material of the ingot whereby the plug .is automatically removed upon removal of the inset.

According to the present invention, the mold plug is provided with an irregular or offset por- 20 tion terminating at its upper end. In a preferred construction, the plug is formed with a conduit increasing in cross-section away from the ingot end at the plug. When the metal is poured in the mold, it fills the conduit in the plug as well 25 as the mold itself. .The ingot is then removed fromthe mold. The metal in the opening in the plug pulls the plug out of the mold.

in the drawing:

Figure l is a plan view of a preferred form of mold plug;

Figure '2 is a vertical section through the plug;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a modified form of p us:

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the modified form; i

Figure 5 is a vertical section through another modified form oi plug; and,

Figure 6 is an elevationalview, partly in section, showing a mold in which the preferred Ml type of plug is embodied.

Figures 1 and 2 show a preferred type of plug it formed of refractory material which has generally parallel upper and lower surfaces ill and it and a frusto-conical peripheral surface it,

larger at the end surface it than at the end surface it. it bore or conduit it is formed in the plug from the end surface it. The closure i it closes off the communication of the bore with the lower end surface it. The bore-lit, which may be of any shape in cross section, is irustoconical with its smallest diameter at the end surface it increasing in diameter away from the end surface Ill. Figure 6 shows the plug it positioned in an opening it in the base of an M ingot mold ll.

The mold I1 is supported by ears l8 in the position shown in Figure 6, and molten metal is poured into the mold, forming an ingot I9. The molten metal fills the conduit or bore l4 forming a projection 20 extending down into the plug 5 Hi. When the metal hassolidifled' and cooled suificiently, the ingot is removed, and, due to interengagement of the ingot with the plug, pulls out the plug. It is quite obvious that this must happen, since the part 20 of the metal which 10 has solidified within the bore in the plug cannot be pulled out through the top of the plug and, consequently, pulls the plug out with the ingot.

Figures 3 and 4 show a modified form of plug 2| formed of refractory material, which has upper and lower end surfaces 22 and 23 and a frusto-conical peripheral side surface 24 which is to fit the correspondingly shaped surface of the opening iii in the mold ll. The plug H has a bore .25 of uniform cross-sectional area extending from the ingot end and another bore 26 of a. larger cross-sectional area formed from the lower end 23. A closure plug ll fills the lower endof the bore 26 and closes ofi the bores from the end surface it. The conduit provided by the 2d bores it and it in the plug it function during the pouring oi the metal into the mold to provide means for securing the plug to the ingot;

a portion of the molten metal fiowing down into the bores it and it and solidifying. en the W ingot is removed, it pulls the plug it along with it, since the part of the solidified metal ertending into the bores tilt and it cannot be removed from the ingot end of the plug.

Figure ti shows another form of plug it formed of refractory material, which has upper and lower surfaces it and till and a frusto-conical peripheral surface ll. ll branched conduit it ertends from the upper end ill of the plug and comprises two bores and ti l formed at a slight angle to one another. When the plug it is used.

a portion of the molten metal fiows into and solidifies in the bores lit and it. it is obvious that this portion of the metal cannot be pulled out from the plug, and, consequently, removal of the ingot from the mold will effect removal of the plug. The advantage of this type of plug with its bores lit and it is that the bores may be formed from the end it from. which the opening it is finally to extend. Consequently, no extra closures, such as ill and ill in Figures 2 and t, are required.

The various plugs function alike in that for each plug the metal receiving bore or conduit is so shaped that the metal solidified therewlthin cannot be removed from the end from which the opening extends forming thereby an interlocking means between the plug and the ingot.

' mold has been provided. The novelty in this plug is the formation of a portion of the plug of such a shape that molten metal solidified in engagement with said portion secures the plug to the ingot. The intention is to limit the invention only within the scope of the claims. a

What is claimed is:

1. In an ingot mold having an open top from which the ingots are removed and inwardly sloping inside walls terminated at their converging ends in a substantially closed end having a bore therethrough decreasing in cross-section from the inside end towards the outside end, and

appended in combination therewith a mold plug fitted in said bore, said plug being provided with a conduit for receiving molten metal when the ingot is poured, said conduit having a portion of larger cross-sectional area than its inlet end whereby the solidification of the metal secures the plug to the ingot for removal therewith. g

2. In an ingot mold having an open top from which the ingots are removed and inwardly sloping inside walls terminated at their converging ends in a substantially closed end having a bore therethrough decreasing in cross-section from the inside end towards the outside end, and in combination therewith a mold plug fitted in said bore, said plug being provided with a conduit therein for receiving molten metal when the ingot is poured, said conduit having a portion offset from the inlet end whereby when the metal solidifies the plug is secured to the ingot for removal therewith.

ED'WIN L. RAMSEY. LESLIE G. GRAPE'R. 

